On Broken Wings
by fickleminder
Summary: A particularly vicious fight with one of Sledge's monsters leaves Riley without the use of his arms. It'll take more than just his Energem to help him on the road to recovery. / Dino Charge. Chiley.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note** : A big THANK YOU to the lovely storm-stellar for beta-ing this fic :)

* * *

 **On Broken Wings**

Chapter 1

Chase's face said it all.

"He still hasn't woken up, huh?" Tyler asked sadly. He wasn't expecting an answer, nor did he get one as Chase practically dragged his feet into the Dinolair and collapsed face first onto the couch, exhausted from spending the past few days at the hospital. The New Zealander would be there at the start of visiting hours and leave only when the nurses kicked him out.

"Give it time," Kendall advised, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "His Energem will ensure that he makes a full recovery. We just have to be patient."

There was no response from Chase, and a soft snore emanating from the cushions indicated that he was already out for the count. Kendall shook her head with a sympathetic sigh.

"Make sure he takes a shower after waking up," she told Tyler. "And get some food in him too. Proper food."

The red ranger cast a worried glance at the dark entrance to Koda's cave. "I'll do my best, but if even Koda has lost his appetite, I'm not sure how much Chase will be able to stomach."

"Try. I know we're all concerned about Riley, but we can't let this cripple the entire team. It's exactly what Sledge wants, and right now we're letting him win."

It was then that Shelby came down the slide into the Dinolair, making a beeline for Tyler's arms which automatically opened to receive her. "I found Ivan," she mumbled into his shoulder. "Tricera did, actually. Ptera flew him to his old castle to let off some steam. He's been training non-stop since…" An anguished sob cut her off, and Tyler immediately drew her into a tight embrace, gently rocking her back and forth.

The former knight had taken it the hardest, having felt personally responsible for failing to protect his protégé in battle. Even though they had eventually managed to defeat their adversary, their victory had come at a terrible cost. No one could find him after Riley had been sent to the hospital, and Kendall had feared he'd gone after Sledge on his own to seek revenge.

Still, Ivan's whereabouts were only a small comfort. Kendall's heart dropped at the sight of the shattered remnants of her team, feeling utterly powerless to help. As a woman of science she wasn't at all religious, but for what it was worth, she sent a mental prayer to whichever deity would listen, hoping that her charges – Riley especially – would be able to pull through.

* * *

:: It's been really quiet without you here. The tennis ball machine's already gathering dust in the corner. ::

* * *

"At least I still have them," was the only thing Riley had said after taking in the extent of his injuries. It was meant to sound somewhat optimistic, but Chase couldn't bring himself to feel thankful about that fact, let alone reveal that the green ranger nearly _did_ get his arms sliced off, had Ivan and he not intervened the second they were able to stand up again. Nevertheless, the radius and ulna in both Riley's forearms had suffered comminuted fractures, and even with his Energem it would take at least a month for them to heal completely.

When the receptionist had called to inform them that Riley had finally woken up, Chase almost broke a dozen traffic laws skateboarding to the hospital to see him. Kendall had personally ensured that he was placed in a private ward, but a few minutes after bursting into his room, Chase wasn't so sure if the brunet being awake was a good thing anymore.

Riley refused to look at him, or at anyone really. His gaze never left the thick white casts which encased his arms after the surgery, and Chase had to physically tilt his chin up to see his face properly. Red-rimmed eyes and dried tear tracks down his cheeks were tell-tale signs that the younger teen had been crying before he arrived, but the final nail in the coffin was the dead, soulless look in his eyes.

There was no reaction when the entire team (except for Ivan, who was still uncontactable) crammed into the ward to visit him; when Tyler tried to cheer him up with his lame jokes; when Shelby arranged a bouquet of flowers in the empty vase next to his bed; when Koda offered him a Bronto Burger after hearing that hospital food generally sucked.

No one was sure if Riley just wanted to be left alone, but it was eventually decided that somebody should stay with him during visiting hours to keep him company, to remind him that they were there for him, that he was safe. But it didn't matter whether it was one, two, or all of them; Riley never said more than a few mumbled words at a time.

Then Ivan finally showed up one afternoon, stepping quietly into the room while Chase was reading aloud from 'The Da Vinci Code'.

"Hello Riley," the former knight greeted solemnly. "How are you?"

No response.

Chase shot Ivan an apologetic look. "Don't take it personally, mate. He hasn't been talking to any of us."

"Will he be alright?" Ivan asked worriedly.

"The doctors want to keep him here for a while longer, but he'll be able to leave soon. We just gotta make sure he doesn't overexert himself while his Energem continues to repair the damage." Chase sighed at the pained expression on the gold ranger's face. "Mate, it wasn't your fault. You know that, right? There was nothing we could have done."

Ivan didn't seem reassured in the least. "Perhaps," he conceded reluctantly, his sword hand unconsciously curling into a fist. "But nevertheless, as his mentor, I am responsible for Riley. I understand that we all take risks as rangers, however no tragedy of this magnitude should have befallen him."

"You can say that again," the New Zealander muttered darkly under his breath. "I'm his _boyfriend_ , and yet –"

The sudden gasp that escaped Riley was so soft that Chase nearly missed it. He whirled around in alarm, seeing the blank and listless look on the younger teen's paling face transform into abject fear. Riley had gone absolutely still, as though frozen in horror, and Chase frantically tried to recall all the things Kendall had made them read about panic attacks. This was the first big reaction he'd gotten since Riley had woken up, but just when he thought the shock had finally set in, he realized that Riley wasn't staring at his arms anymore.

His eyes, wide and unfocused, were looking in Ivan's direction. Not at the former knight specifically, Chase noticed, but rather at the small sliver of metal peeking out from just beneath his trench coat, the sturdy hilt of his sword –

Shit.

* * *

:: Everyone misses you. Yeah, even Kendall. Not that she'd admit it out loud, but still. ::

* * *

 _"Foolish rangers! You dare to challenge me?"_

 _Normally Tyler would have some sort of witty comeback for when the monster of the week decided to play the intimidation card, but this time he had nothing, especially not since half his team had been demorphed and the other half scattered across the battlefield._

 _Devashi wasn't playing around, that was for sure. With six sword-wielding arms and an unhealthy obsession with sharp and shiny blades, he was able to deflect every shot from their Dino Morphers, forcing them to confront him at close range. Only Ivan and Riley had the proper skills to actually do some real damage, but while the others tried to provide cover fire and distract him, two rangers simply hadn't been enough._

 _His signature attack quickly took the green and gold rangers down, demorphing them in the process. The rest of the team was blown back by a barrage of daggers when they had attempted to rush to their friends' aid._

 _"Pathetic!" Devashi sneered with contempt, stepping towards the nearest ranger on the ground. One foot pinned Riley's right hand down as it tried to reach for his Dino Saber, eliciting a cry of pain. "And you call yourself a swordsman?"_

 _"Riley!" Chase cried, struggling to get to his feet. From the corner of his eyes he noticed Ivan desperately trying to do the same, using his sword to pull himself up. His heart stopped when he saw Devashi raising his other foot up high, belatedly realizing what was going to happen. "NO!"_

 _An earth-shattering scream pierced the air, but it failed to completely mask the sickening CRUNCH of bones as the monster stamped repeatedly on Riley's forearms as though he was crushing a bug, his massive weight shattering them into pieces._

 _It was hard to tell who was screaming anymore, and the moment Devashi pointed his swords at the brunet Chase was already up and running, blaster drawn and firing like a madman as Ivan charged alongside him with a battle cry, lightning streaking down his blade and –_

– holding Riley's shoulders in a panic. "Riley, wake up! It's just a dream, WAKE UP!"

The younger teen gasped loudly as his eyes snapped open, but still he continued to struggle against Chase, frantically trying to escape.

"Dammit Riley, stop or you're going to hurt yourself!" Chase pleaded, using more of his weight to push him down firmly against the hospital bed. Riley's pupils were dilated and he had the most frightened expression Chase had ever seen on his face, his mind trapped in the horrific memory of the battle.

"Get away from me!" Riley half-screamed, half-sobbed, straining against the leather straps binding his arms to the bed. He thrashed around even harder to throw Chase off, to no avail. " _Let me go!_ "

Chase knew he was probably reliving the attack all over again and that pinning him down like Devashi had was only making it worse. It broke his heart to do it, but he had no choice. "I can't! Riley please, you need to calm down! Stop fighting me!"

Something in Chase's voice must have gotten through to him, or perhaps Riley's body had finally tired itself out. Either way, Chase didn't let go until the brunet settled down again, panting harshly for breath as his sweat soaked through the sheets, the skin on his upper arms red from where the straps had dug into his flesh.

"Riley?" Chase asked tentatively after a while, stroking his hair tenderly. "You with me?"

A shuddering intake of breath and a weak nod was all Riley could manage. The younger teen had never looked so vulnerable, so defeated, so _broken_ , and it was all Chase could do to wrap his arms around him as tightly as he dared without hurting him, as though to shield him from the world.

"I w-want to go home," Riley whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut in a futile attempt to stop the tears from falling.

"You will, I promise," Chase murmured into his hair as he kissed the top of his head. "Just a few more nights, love. They're going to release you soon and then I'll take you back to our apartment –"

"N-no Chase, I want to go _home_."

Riley's voice cracked at the end, along with Chase's heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**On Broken Wings**

Chapter 2

Three facts about Matthew Griffin in no particular order:

1\. He was the reigning champ in his village's poker games

2\. While not normally one to wear jewelry, a gray gem hung on a cord around his neck

3\. It was his personal mission in life to ensure that nobody hurt his family and got away with it

Which was why Chase almost – _almost_ – didn't see it coming when the older Griffin cornered him behind the farm house under the guise of getting him to collect a spare tire for Tyler's jeep.

"What the hell happened out there?" Matt hissed sharply, one hand coming up to grab the front of Chase's black hoodie as he pushed him backwards.

The New Zealander would have responded, except that he was still reeling from the other fist in the wall not two inches away from his face. To be fair, he did just witness a complete one-eighty from the calm brother who had carefully carried his younger sibling into his room, to the embodiment of barely-contained rage that now stood before him. Matt was practically shaking with anger, and Chase knew that if the five of them hadn't finished Devashi off, he would have personally gone down to Amber Beach to fight the monster himself.

And win.

Recounting the battle made Chase's stomach churn, and the fact that Matt's fist came progressively closer to his head with each punch in the wall wasn't helping at all. The taller male was glaring at the ground by the end of it, looking away in a manner so similar to the way Riley had in the hospital. For all they loved to bicker and banter with each other, they truly were brothers.

"He'll be okay, right?" It wasn't a question, it was a threat, a promise.

"Physically, yeah." Chase slumped heavily against the barn, letting his head fall back with a dull _thump_ on the hard wood. "His arms will recover, but I'm not sure if _he_ will."

Silence fell between them. The black ranger thought about Riley, about how he had turned into a shell of his usual self, how he hadn't even looked at them or said goodbye as Matt closed the door to his room behind him (not before Rubik managed to scurry inside, ears drooped and whining pathetically).

"You're not staying," Matt said, and Chase's sad smile confirmed what he already knew. Amber Beach was already down a ranger. It couldn't afford to lose another, and there was no way his mother could manage the farm and take care of Riley on her own at the same time. "Riley has to withdraw from the team."

"I know."

"He needs to heal on his own time. He'll come back when he's ready."

"I know."

There was so much resignation in Chase's voice that Matt couldn't help but sigh with pity. He took off his cowboy hat and flipped it over absently. "You call him every day, you hear?" The hat swiftly returned to his head as Chase looked up in surprise. "And I don't care how far the city is, you better visit every weekend too," he added before Chase could reply.

Sniffing lightly, the dark-haired male nodded and pushed himself upright, following Matt as he beckoned him towards the storage shed.

* * *

:: Kendall tells me your Dino Com is receiving these messages, so I guess you're just choosing not to answer. That's okay though. I'm still going to send one every day. ::

* * *

True to his word, Chase arrived at the Griffin's doorstep at two in the afternoon every Saturday. It was late enough that Mrs. Griffin wouldn't have to prepare lunch for him, yet early enough for him to spend at least a solid four hours with Riley before heading back to Amber Beach.

Matt still hovered around them like a shadow, ever the protective older brother, but at least he'd stopped eyeing the New Zealander suspiciously whenever he looked at him. Nevertheless, Chase knew that one wrong move on his part (or a bad reaction on Riley's) and he would be getting up close and personal with the hooves of the cowboy's favorite horse.

The first few weeks were the hardest. Riley hardly ever left the safety of his room, not even to join his family during meals. He isolated himself, avoiding anyone and everyone around him. There was a perpetually empty look in his eyes, as though his mind had been disconnected from his body and the rest of his surroundings.

Some days Chase would just sit next to him in silence, hoping that his company would be enough to stave off the loneliness for a while. Rubik seemed to have made a permanent home for himself at Riley's feet, but he had a feeling the canine wouldn't mind sharing.

Other days the New Zealander would talk out loud, holding a one-sided conversation he knew would not be reciprocated. If he was lucky, Riley would respond with a soft grunt, perhaps a non-committal hum. It was small, but the brunet often stared off into space otherwise, listening (at least Chase hoped he was) numbly with quiet detachment, so he was willing to take what he could get.

With Riley's arms currently incapacitated, Matt and his mother had to give him practical support in his daily activities. Be it eating, showering, or even just combing his hair, the fact that Riley needed help in accomplishing such mundane tasks was doing a number on his pride. It was hard to pretend that he was okay, to treat him like he was not made of fragile glass. The subtle clench of his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes, the downward curl of his lips all gave away his frustration at his helplessness.

Chase was around only once a week, but already he had lost count of the number of times he had to reassure Riley that there was nothing wrong with needing help, nor was it a sign of weakness for accepting it. The touches came gradually, from feathery light caresses ghosting along his back to an arm around his shoulders weeks later, keeping the brunet grounded, Chase's way of saying _I'm still here, it's okay, you're safe now._

There was one humid afternoon where they were reading together in Riley's room, sitting on his bed with the younger teen in his boyfriend's lap. Riley started nudging Chase's knee with his foot about an hour in, murmuring something about a headache. Chase didn't hesitate when asked to retrieve some aspirin from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, happy that Riley was letting him help even with something as simple as this.

A few minutes later he returned visibly more subdued than when he had left, and he only pressed a quick kiss to Riley's cheek when given a questioning look, trying to act as though he hadn't seen the bottles of anti-depressants and sleeping pills which definitely hadn't been on the shelves the week before.

* * *

:: No pressure, but you know you can call us anytime, right? And you don't have to talk to me if – if you don't want to. You can go to Shelby, Koda, Ivan… Heck, even Keeper if you like. Who knows, he may have some ancient alien wisdom that can help. ::

* * *

The nightmares kept coming.

Some nights weren't so bad. Rubik was a constant, warm presence at his side when he slept, and the canine would immediately try to nudge him awake the moment his breathing started to speed up erratically, his mind at the brink of descending into the dark depths of his memories.

Other nights he was back on the ground with no way to get up, trapped, one large foot pinning his hands and another crashing down on his arms again and _again and AGAIN –_

– until his eyes snapped open to the sight of Matt or his mother (sometimes both) hovering worriedly over him, Rubik's weight on his chest to keep him from thrashing around too much, spikes of lingering pain in his arms, his ears ringing slightly from the echoes of Rubik's loud barking, his throat sore from screaming.

Then there were the nights when sleep eluded him, leaving him with his scattered thoughts as he stared at the ceiling just waiting for the nightmares to fall. Sometimes when the silence became too much to bear, he would replay the voice messages Chase had left on his Dino Com, listening to the familiar, accented voice that would lull him into calmness and hold off any impending panic attacks.

His fatigue still worried his family though. While his mother made sure that he ate and slept (or rather, went to bed) enough to keep up his energy, Matt would coax him outdoors for some exercise and sun. Riley was obviously in no position to help out with the chores around the farm (at least not until his arms healed), so all he could really do was take long walks with Rubik and occasionally feel somewhat vindictive when watching his brother getting tripped into the mud while feeding the pigs.

It was important for him to stay grounded, the doctor had said. Keep busy, have a structured schedule, stick to a daily routine, do activities he enjoyed. Matt dragging him out of his room and Chase visiting every Saturday slowly helped him to settle back into the rhythm of things, but something was still missing. Something with a familiar weight in his palms, something that made his heart race and his hands shake, something that was an integral part of him, yet it wasn't.

(At least not anymore.)

* * *

:: It doesn't matter if you want to call in the middle of the night. I promise I'll answer. I mean, you're giving me a legit excuse to be late for my shifts, so there's that. Seriously though, I don't mind. ::

* * *

:: Koda and Ivan just discovered the microwave the other day, and for some reason they won't stop calling it a 'mikrowaver'. Coincidentally, the café's supply of burger patties has been running low lately, not to mention the fire alarm's been going off more often than usual. Kendall's running out of ideas to keep them from disintegrating everything they can get their hands on. Any suggestions? ::

* * *

:: Someone donated a complete dinosaur fossil to the museum earlier this week. It needs to be cleaned up and studied before it can be displayed, but Shelby's been bouncing off the walls all day, so you can probably guess which dino it is. And you know how much Tyler loves selfies right? He tried to take one with the head while doing some ridiculous pose on a handstand, and let's just say he won't be able to sit down for a week now. Luckily for him the fossil wasn't damaged, or else Shelby would have probably castrated him or something. ::

* * *

:: Hey Riley, it's Shelby here. Chase, uh… He's out of commission for a bit, took a bad hit when we fought another one of Sledge's goons this afternoon. He'll be fine though, it's nothing too serious! Ms. Morgan thinks he should wake up tomorrow and be well enough to head over to the ranch. So don't worry, okay? Hope to hear from you soon. Take care! ::


	3. Chapter 3

**On Broken Wings**

Chapter 3

Chase never showed up.

For the first time since Riley had gone home, five weeks after his casts had been removed, one day after Shelby's message, there was no knock on the door at two in the afternoon.

He had known the New Zealander wasn't coming. Kendall had called Matt to inform him of Chase's absence earlier that morning, citing his injuries (and the whispered fact that he still hadn't woken up from a head wound, but Riley wasn't supposed to know, wasn't supposed to eavesdrop on his brother's conversation over the phone) and asking Matt who he wanted her to send in his place. Riley had decided he'd heard enough by then, and hung up discreetly just as Kendall started mentioning something about breaking routines.

So Riley knew, but still there was this tiny crack, an almost imperceptible shift in the seemingly stable environment his family and friends had managed to build with him over the past few months. It was subtle; he only shrugged when Matt had told him that Chase wouldn't be here that afternoon, unaware that one hand was unconsciously gripping his Dino Com tightly in his pocket, out of sight.

Shelby arrived slightly before three, bearing gifts of flowers and food from the Dino Bite Café (there were at least four Bronto Burgers packed along in the bags, upon Koda's insistence). They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the rich expanse of farmland, with Shelby doing most of the talking (gossiping) and catching Riley up to speed on things back in Amber Beach. The brunet nodded and laughed along where he thought necessary, like when she complained about Tyler's little stunt with the selfie and the brow horn of the museum's newest Triceratops fossil. If the pink ranger had noticed that his smile seemed a little too forced, she didn't say a word about it.

For hours, an uneasy feeling stirred in Riley's chest. It simmered under his skin, festering long after Shelby had hugged him goodbye. She held on for a while longer after he had let go, giving him a small squeeze as though to comfort him, but all Riley registered was the chill down his spine at the realization that it wasn't Chase's arms wrapped around him, that Chase wasn't here because he was _hurt_.

( _It varies from person to person, and that's the tricky bit_ , Kendall had said, _you never know what can cause that imbalance, or set off a trigger._ )

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Riley couldn't stop thinking about Chase, wondering if he had woken up yet, if he was going to be okay. Shelby hadn't looked too worried, so the brunet could almost pretend that he was fine. But while she had skillfully managed to avoid talking about the New Zealander during her visit, Kendall's uneven words over the phone settled like heavy rocks in his stomach.

Riley had long learnt to recognize the signs of an incoming panic attack. He could usually pinpoint the cause and tried not to think too much about it, because once his mind was fixated on something it refused to let go. There had been an incident where his mother had been holding a knife when she approached him in the dining room, asking if he wanted carrots in his soup. One look at the sharp and shiny blade in her hand had Riley falling off his chair in fright, scrambling clumsily backwards as his casts dragged roughly along the floor.

( _Pathetic_ , Devashi had sneered.)

Ever since that day, it had become an unspoken rule that Riley was no longer allowed in the kitchen. His mother had even gone one step further to keep all the knives hidden from view, just in case. There was still something else missing around the house though, and it had taken Riley weeks to figure out what it was. When he finally had, a part of him was somewhat miffed that his family was treating him like a ticking time bomb, yet he had to begrudgingly admit that the old adage 'out of sight out of mind' did help to avert any potential panic attacks by removing another one of his triggers.

(Matt had never really understood his love for swordplay and often acted as though he didn't care, so it was no wonder Riley was surprised that his brother even knew where he had stashed his fencing gear. Given that the older Griffin had always been the better player at hide-and-seek when they were kids, Riley supposed he should have seen it coming. He probably wouldn't be able to find it if he tried either.)

But the good news was that Riley's reactions had begun to taper off. They weren't as violent or as frequent anymore, like the days after the kitchen episode where his nightmares had grown even more twisted: Devashi's foot replaced by his daggers nailing him into the ground, his arms not crushed to pieces, but chopped up like the raw meat on his mother's cutting board. He'd grown so accustomed to the night terrors that he could even tell when a night was going to turn ugly.

Tonight was one of those nights.

The whispers grew louder as he crawled into bed, Rubik curling up beside him. Trying to clear his mind and shut down every train of thought didn't help, neither did the various meditation techniques he had learnt from a distant cousin. _And you call yourself a swordsman_ , Devashi's voice echoed in his mind, taunting him cruelly. Because how could he, when his arms were useless, when he couldn't even look at something he loved without breaking down in fear?

Granted, the sight of knives and blades no longer made him flinch and back away, but still he had made no effort to ask Matt for his gear back, let alone return to his training. If he had been defeated at something he was supposed to be good at, then surely he had to be weak, unworthy to be Ivan's student. Knowing that he had let the former knight and his team down made his stomach tighten in shame.

And Chase – Chase wasn't there with him because he was hurt, and it was all Riley's fault. They had promised to protect each other, and where had he been? Sitting around at home like a _cripple_. What if Sledge sent a monster to the ranch, knowing that he was vulnerable and unable to fight back? There was no way Matt would be able to protect all of them. He already had enough on his plate, having to take care of the farm and their mother, and now even his helpless deadweight of a brother?

All the stress pent up over the course of the day finally broke, flooding his mind with unbidden thoughts. Every possible scenario flashed through his head, screaming what if _what if WHAT IF?_ Any sense of logic and reasoning went straight out the window, and at some point it became harder to breathe. Riley was barely aware that he was hyperventilating as he practically flung the covers across the room, jerking upright and hugging his knees to his chest.

Rubik whined quietly and licked his face, but Riley couldn't stop shaking, couldn't quell his racing heartbeat or swallow that painful knot in his throat. His blood ran cold at the thought of being a burden, a danger to his family; he couldn't stay, he had to leave before they got hurt like Chase –

The next thing the brunet knew, he had already launched himself off the bed, snatching a jacket from the floor and pocketing his Dino Com before tearing out of the room. Everything felt so surreal for a moment, as though he was watching his body move on autopilot. Nevertheless, Riley had the presence of mind not to slam any doors during the mad dash out of the house, and he allowed himself one last glance back at the dark windows of Matt's room before fleeing in the direction of the woods.

He didn't know where he was going, only that he had to put as much distance between the ranch and himself as possible. It became harder to see where he was running after breaching the tree line, and the lack of moonlight from the cloudy sky didn't make things any easier, so it was no surprise when a stray root tripped him up, sending him sprawling onto the ground in a heap. Adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, but when he tried to push himself up to stand, the dull ache in his arms forced him to stay down. The shock of the fall seemed to have knocked some sense into him though, and Riley rolled over and sat up as exhaustion began to catch up to him.

Leaning back against a tree trunk, he waited for the anxiety and fear to start drowning him, but there was nothing. All he felt was numb, empty, as though every last drop of emotion had been drained out of him. A few minutes passed as he fought to get his breathing under control, all the while expecting Matt to come searching for him. There was no doubt Rubik would have alerted his family to his absence, and Riley sighed as he imagined the disappointed look on his brother's face, a tinge of guilt settling in his heart.

The sound of soft footsteps padding towards him was all the warning he got before he found himself with a face full of fur and Rubik practically pouncing into his lap, nuzzling and licking his face frantically. Other than the canine's high-pitched whimpers, there was only the sound of rustling leaves in the dark forest. When a certain overprotective older brother failed to appear, it occurred to Riley that Rubik must have gone after him on his own.

Touched, and feeling a little more tired now, the brunet shifted about to get comfortable, hugging his loyal dog close before relaxing and letting his eyes drift shut.

* * *

:: Riley, hey! Sorry about missing our date yesterday, I – hold on. ::

:: Okay, coast is clear. Sorry about that, Tyler and Koda are on a manhunt for yours truly. Apparently I'm not supposed to be out of bed right now, but I'm awake and I can walk – well, technically I'm on my skateboard, so wish them good luck trying to catch me. I'm kidding, of course. Ivan's giving me a hand sneaking out of here – oops, wait! ::

:: Whew, that was close! Did you know Kendall has eyes in the back of her head? Anyway, I wanted to say that I'll be dropping by the ranch in a couple hours, so wait for me, yeah? I'll be waiting for you too, no matter how long it takes. Just remember that we'll all be here for you when you come back to us. Well, I'll talk to you soon! Love you, Riley. ::

* * *

It wasn't the best sleep he'd had, but waking up to Chase's messages on his Dino Com made the crick in his neck and the soreness in his limbs slightly more bearable. Knowing – _hearing_ – that the New Zealander was alright sent a wave of relief washing over him, lifting a heavy weight from his chest.

Sunlight filtered through the tree cover, lighting up the forest floor as the smell of dew filled his nostrils. Riley yawned and stretched, careful not to jostle the sleeping dog curled up in his lap. The haze of panic and confusion that had clouded his mind the night before had mostly cleared, leaving behind some semblance of clarity which enabled him to focus again.

He didn't know what he had been thinking, trying to run away from home. It was hard to believe he had let his despair and sorrow overwhelm him, but Rubik's warmth was a tangible reminder of last night's events. Riley stroked the canine's fur absently as he mentally berated himself for acting so foolishly, ever so grateful that his companion had chosen to stay by his side. As he scanned his surroundings, gathering his bearings and figuring out a way back home, his eyes landed on a familiar piece of rock.

It was the boulder where he had found his Energem all those months ago.

One hand came up to clutch the green gem hanging from his neck, tucked away safely underneath his shirt. The memories flowed into his mind like a calm tide: rushing to Rubik's defense when Fury had tried to kill him; the surge of energy coursing through his body as the Energem transformed his makeshift sword into the Dino Saber; images of a velociraptor flashing in his mind as he unearthed the mysterious gem.

There was a soft bark as Rubik woke up, sniffing the air while looking around. The canine hopped off his lap and nudged him gently towards what he guessed was in the direction of the ranch, trotting a few steps ahead before turning back to look expectantly at the brunet, his tail wagging in anticipation.

( _I'll be waiting for you too, no matter how long it takes_ , Chase promised.)

The realization struck Riley like a thunderbolt. He remembered now, the reason he had become a Power Ranger in the first place. It hadn't been by choice, no, there was no way he could have known what fate had in store for him the moment he touched the glowing green crystal in the rock, but he had fought to protect Rubik, had risked his life for his loyal dog, and the Energem had deemed him worthy.

Not to mention his team was still out there, still fighting to protect the Earth from Sledge despite being one member down. The rush of guilt and self-resentment which would have normally flooded his mind at that thought was mostly residual now, and instead Riley felt the familiar need to prove himself to his friends, to show them that being the youngest on the team had no bearing on his skills as a ranger.

Rubik barked at him again, and Riley slowly picked himself up, standing on slightly unsteady feet as he followed Rubik home.

* * *

Naturally he got chewed out by his family when he returned, having scared them out of their wits when they couldn't find him anywhere that morning. Riley accepted his mother's admonishment with a quiet nod – he truly _was_ sorry for making them worry – and she finally released him to go clean up after taking in the state of his clothes. Matt shot him a narrow-eyed look as he made his way to the bathroom, similar to the ones he used to give Chase when the New Zealander had first started visiting regularly, and Riley automatically knew his brother would be taking extra care to monitor him more closely, at least for the rest of the week.

Speaking of which, Chase was supposed to come by soon. Riley felt himself smile at the thought, and as he stepped under the warm spray of the showerhead, he let himself imagine going back to Amber Beach with him. It was an idea he wouldn't have dared to consider a long time ago, but now it seemed like a definite possibility. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he missed his team and their antics, the excavation trips whenever Kendall had discovered a new fossil to be dug up, training sessions with Ivan –

Riley frowned. Not yet, he wasn't ready to go back just yet – _couldn't_ go back until he had crossed that final hurdle. Absently he contemplated asking Matt to return his fencing gear, but he wasn't sure if his brother would let him get within ten feet of it even if he asked. He was certain Matt had taken last night's breakdown as proof that he hadn't progressed enough in his recovery to resume his training. There was no way to know for sure until he asked though, and Riley resolved to do so after breakfast.

Mrs. Griffin had other plans, unfortunately.

"Rubik! Come on buddy, where are you?"

Riley whistled again, looking around as he scanned the open fields surrounding the ranch. As 'punishment', he had to give Rubik a bath when the canine had left muddy tracks on the white tiles of the floor after guiding him back to the house. Rubik had also spent the night in the forest with him, so it was the least he could do to get him clean (and also sneak him a treat while Matt wasn't looking – yes, he loved to spoil his dog).

While Rubik was mostly given free reign of the farm, he hardly ever ran off without good reason, whether it was a stray sheep or a hidden Energem. Riley had half a mind to call Matt for help when familiar barking reached his ears. Sighing, he followed the sound to one of the old storage sheds that had been around since their family moved to the land several generations ago. Sure enough, he found Rubik scratching and pawing at the locked wooden door.

"Hey boy, what are you looking for?" Curiosity piqued, Riley unlatched the door and opened it, allowing Rubik to scurry inside and disappear into the shadows. The brunet stepped in slowly, taking care not to trip over the old tools scattered about. It was strange, most of the other storage sheds were usually pretty tidy; sometimes his chores included going out to make sure everything was organized and still in good condition. He hadn't been attending to them lately, but Matt wouldn't have let the equipment get messed up on purpose.

There was a soft whine as Rubik suddenly appeared by his side, covered in a layer of dirt, a thick strap in his mouth as he dragged a dusty bag along the floor towards him. Riley bent down to examine his find, and his breath caught in his chest when he unzipped the bag and saw a sliver of metal peeking back at him. He was about to reach for it, but paused and dropped his hand halfway.

Rubik gave a sharp bark and nuzzled his arm. Petting his head absently, Riley sat back on his heels, just staring at his gear. He remembered the first time he had picked it up, practically snatching it out of Matt's hands the moment he laid eyes on the final birthday gift to be presented to him. He remembered being filled to the brim with excitement and anticipation, feeling bold enough to skip out on chores for the next few weeks to sneak away for practice. He remembered poring over books and watching videos on the internet, eager to learn and develop his skills.

Once again, Riley slowly reached forward. His fingers wrapped around the grip of his fencing foil, the cool metal almost burning into his skin, but his hands were steady for the first time in months and suddenly the world didn't seem so scary anymore.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Thanks again to storm-stellar for beta-ing! I couldn't have pulled this off without you :D

And thank you also to all you readers for suffering through this fic with me. It was hard to write, but I hope you enjoyed the read :)


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